SS: I'm Sorry, Zoya! Ch2-Pg5 - Page 3

His fist hit his open book hard and loud enough to get the girl, what was her name again?, Zoya, to shut up... momentarily.

Asad: (whisper yelling) Do you even know that there is a word 'quiet' that exists in this world? (glaring into her eyes)

He had entered his class, happy at the fact of getting back to studies after the vacation, the whole Cafeteria scene vanishing from the depths of his memory, banished into a place unknown.

But it all had to come back to him, when he saw her looking directly at him with those adorable, laughing eyes.

Adorable? What?!

Anyways, he had ignored her and walked up to his desk and settled down comfortably, when he was given a shock by Professor Turner that he would be paired with the new girl, namely Zoya Farooqui. Well, because he was the only student who was without a partner and Zoya would definitely need one for the rest of the term, to help her out.

Yeah, right! Like she needs someone to listen to her talk the whole day! That mouth of hers is a punishment now!

He growled in a low tone, when Zoya's voice cut through his thoughts.

Zoya: Well, not in my dictionary! It so doesn't! And coming to the point, by being silent, you aren't going to gain anything! (leaning back casually)

Asad: (rolling his eyes and resting his elbows on the table, looking directly at his teacher) Well, news flash! If you do keep silent, during the 'lectures', you may 'gain' something called (turning intentionally towards her and making the inverted commas with his fingers) "Knowledge"! (turning back to tune in the explanation that Professor Turner was giving)

Zoya: (furrowing her eyebrows) What is biting you? (leaning forward and tilting her head to catch his eye) Look, is it about the coffee back at the cafeteria? (knowing it, yet asking) Well, if it is, then am very sorry! (widening her eyes a bit) I seriously did not mean to do that!

Prof. Turner: Ms. Farooqui? Please pay attention here. (nodding once sternly) Anything you would like to share with us?

Asad smiled smugly but secretly, when he heard Zoya stop talking the instant she was caught red-handed on the first day, in the first class! That did make her shut up for the time being.

It was the experiment of 'Dissecting a Frog'.

Frogs were given to each pair and told to pin the limbs of the amphibian on the wooden board, they were provided.

Asad glanced at Zoya, who was busy giving disgusting looks to the innocent creature on their table, that lay unconscious.

Zoya: (swallowing hard and blinking fast) Why do they want us to dissect frogs? Isn't dissecting them banned? (turning to Asad) And, my, oh my! To top it all, they have been chloroformed and not killed! (poking the abdomen of the frog with the needle, along with a frown) How does he expect us to cut it open? (frowning in disgust and looking at Asad) I mean, won't all it's... (waving the needle around a bit to make a point).. you know... (seeing Asad's narrowing eyes laced with confusion)... the inner stuff! (hunching her shoulders and saying obviously)

Asad was enjoying it, and though he understood what she meant, he still wanted to see her squirm and pretended to be all confused and serious.

Zoya: (growling in frustration) Arrrghh! (closing her eyes tight and raising her fists in exasperation) It's... i--

Asad: (nodding slowly and suggesting slowly) In-Intes-Intestine..? (raising his eyebrows slightly innocently and watching Zoya closely)

Zoya: (jumping in gratitude with wide eyes to face Asad) Yes!! Yes, that... it's uh.. (swallowing) i- intestine... (rolling her eyes behind closed lids and opening them) Won't they all... pop out? (with wide eyes like saucers)

Asad: (stifling his laughter) Well, if you keep on opening your mouth and poking it that way (indicating her hand with his eyes) then, it most definitely will end up in your.. (leaning forward slightly and indicating his eyes towards her face) Mouth! (jerking his eyebrows a bit)

Zoya: (loudly) Eww!!

The whole class turned to see her leaning away from her table, with a disgusted look on her face, while looking at Asad.

Zoya instantly realised she had said it aloud and looked at the class and the teacher.

Prof. Turner: Yes, Miss Farooqui? Anything the matter? (looking from above his glasses)

Zoya jerked her head slightly in negative, before closing her mouth and muttering an apology.

Asad sighed audibly, catching Zoya's attention, as he pinned the frog's limbs into the wood below. He heard her gasp.

Rolling his eyes he turned to her, with his hand on his hip.

Asad: (closing his eyes briefly and opening them in irritation) Now what? (tilting his head to the side slightly)

Zoya: (horrified) Do you even realise what you have just done, Mr. Asad? (her tone getting louder with every word)

Asad: (looking on confused, his eyebrows furrowing) What did I just do? (jerking his head to the side, and his eyes not leaving Zoya's horrified face)

Zoya: (still horrified and loudly) Murderer! You're a Killer, Mister Asad! Killer! (stepping away from Asad with a considerable distance in between) You just killed the poor frog!! (her voice shrieking a bit, while pointing the frog on the table)

Asad: (blinking and turning fully towards Zoya with a perplexed expression) I what?!

Zoya: Killed it! (shaking a bit in her place and jerking her arm towards the creature) And you didn't even realise it!! How insensitive can you become, Mr. Asad? (stepping forth, but back again on realising what she was doing) I mean, it's inhuman! (blinking rapidly) I thought you would at least remember that! But you don't! Oh my god! You've got Amnesia!! (her mouth gaping)

Asad could do nothing, but stare at her with his mouth agape. What on Earth is this girl talking about??

By now the whole class had gathered around their table, making the teacher furious at the sudden interruption when he was in the middle of his experiment. He could tolerate anything, but not interruptions during his experiment classes.

Pushing himself through the crowd, he grit his teeth.

Prof. Turner: Miss Farooqui!! (glaring) This is the first day of your class at Rydel High and you have managed to gather quite a crowd.. (sternly with sarcasm) Haven't you?

The question was more of a statement.

It's the second time, Professor, so no sweat!, Zoya thought to herself.

Zoya: But Sir! He just killed a poor frog! (turning fully to face the teacher and pointing a finger at Asad) He--

Prof. Turner: Well, that is even better for the two of you then! (with an amused smile)

Zoya stared at the teacher as if he had announced that he was pregnant with his wife's child.

Prof. Turner: Well, it is always better than a chloroformed frog which has the risks of them flying on you, right after the experiment! (raising an eyebrow and nodding seriously) Or even in the middle of it all! (shaking his head from side to side)

Zoya's eyes flew up to see Asad's face adorning a smirk.

Zoya: But this should be made illegal!! You are not.. We are not allowed to experiment on creatures for our benefits!! (stubbornly)

Prof. Turner: I very well know the law, Miss Farooqui. And we are doing this only for study purposes. And not for any cosmetic experiments, that you teenagers are more accustomed to, I presume! (nodding at the crowd around him including Zoya, with a knowing and amused smile)

Zoya: But Sir--

Prof. Turner: (cutting in) That's enough, Miss Farooqui! (raising a hand in front of Zoya's face) Now, if we could please get back to doing the experiment of studying the internal parts of a Frog.. (raising his eyebrows sternly and looking around at the class)

The class got the point and scurried back to their tables, without another word.

If anyone knew better, then it was to not mess with Professor Turner, who was also, by Christ's mercy, their Headmaster.

Zoya reluctantly made her way to stand by her table, with one foot of distance separating her from Asad, the 'Killer', only after Professor Turner glanced at her one last time to convey the seriousness of his words, with a silent glare.

Asad: (smirking) So much, for a Frog.. (cockily)

Zoya: (her eyes narrowing to slits and then turning to facing Asad) I'll have you know that I love animals, and I won't tolerate you, of all people, even laying a damn finger or a toe on them!! (gritting her teeth) Hmmph! (turning away and opening her book)

Asad opened his mouth to say something, but decided against it, since it was no use bothering to argue on such a topic and waste his breath. Rolling his eyes, he set back to writing down the important tasks to be done, before proceeding with the actual experiment.

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Asad stormed out the class, clutching at his books by his side, and his other hand balling into a fist, as the anger in him rose high.

She just did not have the right to say it!, he thought to himself, as he pulled open the door of his locker harshly, before throwing in his book and pulling out his sling bag and shutting the locker even harder.